Paper roll holder

ABSTRACT

A paper roll holder includes a base plate adapted to be fastened vertically on a wall and having first and second cylindrical bearing shells arranged with their axes in a vertical plane and converging at a point above the shells. A pair of rods are arranged to rotate in the respective shells and are formed with depending loop ends adapted to enter into the hollow center of a roll of paper. The upper end of each rod is turned at substantially a right angle to project through a slot in the shell and to bear against a wall of the shell normal to the rotational axis. The slot is limited in extent so parts of the shell and the base plate act as stops.

United States Patent [1 1 Farrer PAPER ROLL HOLDER [76] Inventor: Oscar L. Farrer, 3888 Howe St.,

Oakland, Calif. 94611 Oct. 15, 1974 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACT A paper roll holder includes a base plate adapted to be fastened vertically on a wall and having first and second cylindrical bearing shells arranged with their [22] axes in a vertical plane and converging at a point 55 55 55 3 above the shells. A pair of rods are arranged to rotate 1 0 care in the respective shells and are formed with depending 56 R f d loop ends adapted to enter into the hollow center of a l l e erences roll of paper. The upper end of each rod is turned at UNITED STATES PATENTS substantially a right angle to project through a slot in 1,398,308 11/1921 Weeks 242/552 the shell and to bear against a wall of the shell normal 1,897,266 2/ 1933 McGeoch et al. 242/552 to the rotational axis. The slot is limited in extent so FOREIGN PATENTS OR vAlaPLICATIONS parts of the shell and the base plate act. as stops. 1,106,799 3/1968 Great Britain 242/552 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures a 2 a. a

A .4 -13 "a f? $2.9M y 22 u I III 74 PAPER ROLL HOLDER For many household uses there are afforded rolls of paper, plastic and foil (referred to herein generally as paper) of various sorts such as toilet paper, hand towel paper, wrapping foil and the like, all characterized by a generally circular-cylindrical form inclusive of a central opening or hole partially or entirely through the roll serving as a point of engagement for a mounting device.

It is an object of my invention to provide a paper roll holder which will quite readily support any of the usual kinds of paper rolls for easy rotation and for convenient presentation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper roll holder in which the paper roll is readily engageable with and disengageable from the holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paper roll holder devoid of springs or comparable mechanisms, yet which is effective to support the roll firmly and properly for rotation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a paper roll holder that is very simple in its construction and can readily be fabricated economically.

An additional objectof the invention is to provide a paper-roll holder that is easily mounted in most environments and is unobtrusive.

A further object of the invention is in general to provide an improved paper roll holder.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the paper roll holder of the invention shown supporting a paper roll;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the paper roll holder of the invention in a position partially engaging a paper roll;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the structure in the position illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 5--5 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

While the paper holder pursuant to the invention can be incorporated in a widely variant number of ways, it has with considerable success been incorporated as shown herein. In this instance the holder is usually arranged for installation on a vertical wall 6 or other support extending in a generally vertical plane.

The holder itself is inclusive of a base plate 7, either of metal or plastic, of a generally planar configuration having formed integrally with it a pair of cylindrical bearing shells 8 and 9. These shells are conveniently formed, as particularly shown in FIG. 6, by curving the material of the base plate into a journal tube. The end 11 of the curled tube is placed in abutment with the plate 7 to define an approximately circular-cylindrical journal 12 formed by the shell. Each of the shells, especially as shown in FIG. 5, adjacent its upper end is provided with a limited slot 13 having an upper wall 14 and a lower wall 16. The slot is open to the base plate 7 at one end but has an end wall at the other end so that it spans a little more than a 90 degree opening.

In accordance with the invention, the two shells are arranged on the base plate so that their rotational axes are both coplanar a slight distance away from the outer plane of the base plate and converge at a point above the base plate, the included angle between the two shell axes being approximately a right angle or 90.

Adapted to be disposed in each of the shells is a respective one of a pair of rods 21 and 22. Each rod has a journal portion designed easily to rotate within the related one of the shells 8 or 9 and also has a bent end portion 23 arranged substantially at a right angle to the journal portion of the rod and projecting through the slot 13. The rod end 23 tends to rest on the wall 16 by gravity. The rotational travel of the rod is confined to about Adjacent to the journal portion of the rod is an intermediate portion 24 bent at an angle to the journal portion. In one relative rotated position of the rods the intermediate portions 24 are approximately parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, each of the rods at its lower end is provided with a recurved portion 26 is substantially the configuration of a U or boss. The U-shaped or boss portions 26 in one position of the rod are approximately coplanar and are in axial alignment. The boss portions 26 are of an extent and configuration easily to fit within the normal hollow interior 27 of a paper roll 28 so that the roll can revolve thereon.

In the usual installation, the base plate is secured vertically to the wall 6 by fastenings 29. The U-shaped boss portions 26 of the rods depend by gravity with the bent ends 23 resting by gravity against the base plate 7 and against the slot walls 16. In order to load the paper holder, the user brings the paper roll 28 from a position below the rod ends 26 in a generally upward direction. The upper portion of the roll contacts and displaces the U-shaped ends upwardly. This displacement is necessarily accompanied by a relative outward or spreading movement of the U-shaped ends 26. This is due to the converging journal shells 8 and 9.

When the roll 28'has been lifted high enough, the U- shaped ends 26 are spread far enough apart so that they tend to travel across the rising roll ends. When the roll is high enough, the U-shaped ends 26 tend to enter by gravity into the center 27. Thereupon the user lowers the roll slightly, thus lowering the engaged rod ends as well. This simultaneously rotates the rods until such time as the boss ends 26 fully enter the roll center 27 and the bent ends 23 come into contact again with the base plate 7. In this position the rod portions 24 are held out from the roll itself and out. from the wall 6 sufficiently to afford the roll 28 adequate clearance for rotation. The weight of the roll assists the weight of the rods in holding the parts in appropriate position.

When the roll is to be changed the user again lifts the remainder of the roll in a generally upward direction. This not only lifts the rod ends 26 but likewise causes them to retreat from each other or to diverge until they are free from the roll center 27. Thereupon the remaining portion of the roll is withdrawn past the round ends of the bosses 26, perhaps in a horizontal direction, and the holder rods 21 and 22 are restored by gravity to the initial position.

What is claimed is: j

I. A paper roll holder comprising a base plate adapted to be disposed vertically, first and second cylindrical bearing shells on said base plate arranged with their axes in a vertical plane and disposed at substantially 90 to each other to converge at a point above said shells, first and second rods mounted for rotation tional movement of said rods in said shells to substantially said limiting means for one of said rods ineluding a bent rod end movable in a limited slot in the wall of saidshell extending to said base plate. 

1. A paper roll holder comprising a base plate adapted to be disposed vertically, first and second cylindrical bearing shells on said base plate arranged with their axes in a vertical plane and disposed at substantially 90* to each other to converge at a point above said shells, first and second rods mounted for rotation in said first and second sHells respectively, each of said rods having at its lower end an inwardly directed terminal portion adapted to fit within the hollow center of a paper roll, means for restraining said rods against axial movement in said shells, and means for limiting rotational movement of said rods in said shells to substantially 90*, said limiting means for one of said rods including a bent rod end movable in a limited slot in the wall of said shell extending to said base plate. 